Prime minister
David Cameron has been criticised for his approach to running the country by poet laureate
Carol Ann Duffy, in a poem designed to celebrate Team GB’s success at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Critical: Carol Ann Duffy (Picture: File)

Ms Duffy has penned Translating the British, 2012 to capture the mood as Great Britain’s most successful Games in more than 100 years draws to a close.But she could not resist a dig at the premier for his government’s fiscal policy since coming to power more than two years ago – and it seems many people agree, as the poem and its author trended on Twitter.’Enough of the soundbite abstract nouns – austerity, policy, legacy, of tightening metaphorical belts,’ Duffy wrote, in reference to the spending cuts Mr Cameron has overseen during his time in office.’We are Mo Farah lifting the 10,000 metres gold. We want new running tracks in his name.

Mo Farah’s gold medal has been one of the highlights of the Olympics (Picture: Getty)

‘For Jessica Ennis , the same… for every medal earned, we want school playing fields returned.’

Rather than dwelling on negatives, though, Ms Duffy also focused on the remarkable achievements of dozens of Team GB athletes, noting their successes should pave the way for major changes in the UK.

On the back of gold medals for the likes of Sir Chris Hoy , Victoria Pendleton and Jason Kenny in the London Velodrome, Duffy said politicians should ensure more cycle lanes are built.

Queen Victoria: Pendleton ended her racing career on a high (Picture: PA)

Ms Duffy has a history of politically sensitive works as poet laureate.

After her appointment in 2009 she published ‘Politics’, an attack on the Labour government of the time.

And later, when her poem ‘Education for Leisure’ was removed from the school syllabus over fears it condoned knife crime, she wrote an acerbic poem criticising the decision, entitled ‘Mrs Schofield’s GCSE’.